Process for making rye food products



Patented Apr. 25, 1950 rnocrss s or:- MAKING mm. FOOD H Adphflb Johfisfn, flutohin so n, Kan.

Applicatiort November' 15, 1946, Serial No. 709,937

This invention relates to novelfood broducts and to process for makingthem. More particularly -it relates to baked products containng as themajor ingredient rye, in the form of rye graham fiour, coarse milledwhole rye flour; whole rye flakes or rolled rye. Still moreparticularly, this nVention relate's to crisprye products offormsotherthancrackers or biscuits.- 1

It is well k-novvn thatrye flour, in any of the fornis mentonedabove,behaves quite differently thandoes wheat flour. Partculardiflcultyhas been encountered in preparing crackers or fbiscuits from itbecause of the tendency to formhatrd plastic products instead of thedesi'red 'criSp,- friab1e biscut, even whenleavenedwth yeast. It wasdiscovered by a Swedish manufactur'erthat improved crispness could beobtained by beating and aerating the batter. Since thisdscovery;ryebatter is almost universally beaten and aerated When a crsp product isSlesired,- theyeast whch Was formerly used as a leavenng agent beingoften omitted from the batter. V I Despite this discovery, the ryebaking industry has developed slowly and even today produces averylimited number of products. -Of these the best -known is a Crackerknown as Ry-Krispf Whih is produced by extrudng a continuous band ofdough onto a surface which is dusted with flour. Additional fl0ur isthen dsted on the up per 'side of the dogh. -The objectof-theflourdusting is to prevent the dough from sticking' to the Surface and as itpasses through subsequent forming operations prdrto bakng. F1ourdusti1'1g has c'ertain disadirantages in that the finisbed product isless crisp and 1e'ss attractiVe -r1 apiqearanee than anundusted biscut.Inaddtion,- the flour coatngis more suscep'tible to being attacked byflourweevils than is the ungusted product. However, despite thesedisadvantages,

a11 crisp' rye products made today areflour dsted,

since it has been believed necessary in order to prevent sticking duringthe various -required forming operations. K

Even wth the step of flour dusting, t has not been found possble toproduce any considerable variety of shapes of rye biscuits or-crackrs,Only thin,- square or rectangularbiscuts arenow produced. v

It s an object of my invention to make possible the manufacture of rye-productsof the cooke type in a wde variety of attractiveshapes andsizes and to provdea pr0cess for their manufacture. It is afurtherobject to provide-a process irfwhich forming of 'therye batterforms ci-the cookie -type takes place in a;'singl operationrlts torxofthe fiour dusting step with its attendant disadvantages; A furtherobjectis to permit seas0nin'g materials such as caraway seeds and the like tobe added, and to permt the rye products of the cookie type to beirradiated to enhance-the natural grain content of vitamin D. A stllfurther object is -to provide a continuous process in whieh the ryebatter is formed into the desired shapes seasoned, baked, dried, cooledand packaged without intermedette manual handling. Sti1l otherobjectswil1 become apparent from the detailed descripton ofmy nvention whichfollows. f

Briefly-Stated, my process comprses forming a light rye batter;extruding the batter into articles of predetermined form, deposting saidarticle to asupporting surface, baking sad artcles, and s ubjecting thethus baked articles to clehydration to donvert sanie to the desireddegree of crispness.

-The batter whch is to be used nmy process consists primarily of rye, inthe form of rye graham flour, coarse milled whole rye flour, whole ryeflakesor rolled rye, as stated above.- Flour of other types may beadmixed if desired. The batter is made up With water and may contain inaddition milk; milk solids, salt, flavoring, spices. malt, colfingmaterials or other mineral or chemical materials. Th batter is eitherbeaten or aerated or both beaten and aerated until it s light andflufiy. If desired, the batter may be made 'light andfluffy, withoutbengbeaten or aerated orbeatenand aerated, by incorporatng there'inyeastor like leavening agent. Then also, the batter may be made lightand fiuiy by the additionof yeast or lke leavemng ag'ent to the battermix andthen beating or aerating or beating and aerating the batter mix.F0r a final ry'e productwhich srradated so as to enhance thenaturalgrain content of vitamn D, the-ingredients beforeadmxture to formthe batter are subjected to an rradiaton operaton.

The thus preparedrye batter s next caused to be converted into artclesof desiredforms. Ths may be done by introducing the batter into aneritruding or depositing machine of the type commonly used in thecracker and cooke in; dustries and may utlze any known method of formingthe desired shapes; In general ths will be done by dies; castorotherwise formed to giv e th proper shape. This depositing machne isadapted toyieldndividual batter forms whch retaih their separateidentities throughout the remaining steps of the process and whch arenot subjeoted to any further iormng stpsj-Thes 3 batter forms may bemade in any of the known shapes other than crackers and biscuts, such ascircular, annular, square or rectangular wafers. elongated cylindricalrods, or flat wafers having corrugated or otherwise irregular edges.Ornamental desgns or lettering may be formed on one or more surfaces ifdesired.

The batter forms issuing from the depositing machine are, in thepreferred embodiment of my invention, deposited directly on to asup'porting surface which may be either a stationary reticu- 1ated panor a travelling reticulated screen. When such pan or screen is employed, I have found that flour dusting is unrie'cssary, since the forms donot adhere tightly to the reticulated surface. Furthermore, thebattr'forms do not undergo any subsequent forming treatment as is thecase in prior processes, so do1t requie the same precautions againststicking which is necessitated when subse'quent forming opsrations aretobe performed. For the most part, I have found that no stickingdifiicu'ltes are encountered whenjusing a perfectly dry reticulatedsupporting surface or wire mesh pan or conveyor. With certain types ofbatter some tendency to stick may be observed, and in this case it isdesirable to lightlygrease the reticulated receiver.

The.batter forms are carried on the reticulated pans or travellingreticulated screen to a point from which they enter abaking oven. Ifreticulated pans are used, the pans may be manually transferred to theoven. On the other hand, if a travelling reticulated screen is employed,I find it convenient to arrang it so asto carry the batter formsdirectly intoand through the 'baking oven; The oven tself is ofconventional type, and proper bakng is secured through control oftemperature and of the speed With which the pans or travelling screenare permitted to pass through.

With crisp whole rye products, it is important that adequatedehyclration be secured immediately after the baking step, as otherwisethe products are heavy andsoggy and are lacking in crispness. Itherefore provid a drying oven through which the cookies are passedjust;after passing through the baking oven. Here again, the oven designand control are conventional and will be well understood by anyoneskilled in the baking art.

After dehydration of the baked rye products, they are bermitted to coolto normal temperature and are then ready for packaging. Preferably, thedehydrated baked rye products arepassed through a conventional coolingunit before being packaged.

Whi1e I find it a very considerable advantage to 7 avoid flour dusting,by'useof a depositing machine together With the reticulated pans orscreens my inventon contemplates the optional use of trays or conveyorbelts, in which case flour dusting or greasing Will be necessary-toavoid stioking.

Seasbning or flavoring materials may conveniently be applied to thesurface of the batter forms befordthey are introduced into the bakingoVen. Any suitable dispensing apparatus may be used for this purpose.Materials which may be adcied in this way include aromatic seeds suc has caraway, poppy, sesame, Celery, anise, fen'ne1 and the like.

In place of irradiating the ingredients before aclmixture t o form therye batter, the baked rye products after dehydraton may be irradiateclso as to cre th r n u ishi ua fii i the endless b'elt conveyor.

My process is represented diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings,in which:

Figure 1 shows an assembly of apparatus tor producing rye products ofdesired form. The ingredients of the rye batter mix are introduced intothe mixer Wherein the mix is beaten or aerated or beated and aerateduntil a light, flufy rye batter is formed, the mixer beng at the uppei'left-hand corner of the diagrarn. From the mixer, the light fl'uiy ryebatter is discharged into the hopper of the depositing machne directlybelow, Which contains a forming die in its lower portion. This diedeposits formed batter articles of desirecl ffm,'either cookies, wafersor sticks onto the reticulated pans passing by underneath, on Aseasoning hopper is mounted to th right of the depositor, and isa"d'aptetl to dispense a predetermined amount of seasoning seeds orother materal onto the surface of the batter articles. As thereticulated pans arrive at the end of the conveyor, the batter articlesare removed manually and inserted into the reel oven. Afte baking, thebaked articles are removed from the oven and placed on the conveyorwhich passes through the drying rmit. As the baked articles are carriedout of the drier, they fall onto another endless belt eonyeyor whichcarries them through the cooling unit and thence to the packagingoperation.

Figure 2 is a diagmmmatic representation of an assembly of apparatusperforrqing my process in exactly similar fashion except that an endlessreticulated bel t is used in place of the reticulated pans shown inFigure 1. When the be1t is employed, it oarries the batter articles ofthe predetermined form issuing from the depositor through the bakingoven and then discharges them onto the convey0r leading to the dryingunit. The process thus becomes continuous throughout and,all manualhandling of the molded articles prior to packaging is dispensed with.

Figure 3 shows a process similar to that of Figure 1 except that sheetmetal pans are employed instead of reticulated pans. It is thennecessary either to grease the pans or to dust the pans With flourbefore depositing the batte articles of the desired form thereon. Forthis latter purpose, a flour cluster is shown diagrammatically abo vethe 1et end of the conveyor belt.

7Figure 4 shows a process like that of Figure 3 exceptthat an endlesssheet metal oonveyor .s used to make the process continuous. Except forthe use of the sheet metal conveyor and for the addition of the floucluster, it is exactly the same as the process shown in Figure 2.

While I have describecl specifi c embodiments of my process, it is to beunderstood that man y variations may be made the rein without departingfrom the essential spirit or scope of the invention. Accordingly, thisinvention is to be limited only as set forth in the appended clai ms.

I claim:

1. The process for making rye products which comprises forming a lightbatter consisting primarly 01 rye flour, extruding the batter intoarticles of predetermined form, depositing the extruded articles onto aretioulated supporting surface, baking the extruded articles Whilesupporter on saicl surface, and subj ecting the thus bal;ed articles todehydration to convert sarne to the desired degree of crispness.

2. The process of making rye produete which c omprises forr ning a lightbatter eonsisting primarily of rye flour, extruding the batter into rts. Q e rmine fqrm, s1e fing the.

'extruded articles unto a reticulted supporting surface, baking theextruded articles while supported on sad surface, subjecting the thusbaked articles to dehydration to convert same to the desired degree ofcrispness, and cooling the dehydrated articles.

3. The process for making rye products which comprises formng a lightirradiated batter conslsting primarily of rye fiour. extruding thebatter into artcles of predetermined form, depositng the extrudedarticles onto a. reticulated supporting surf ace, bakng the extrudedarticles whi1e supported on said surface, and subjecting the thus bakedarticles to dehydraton to convert same to the desired degree ofcrispness.

4. The process for making rye products whlch comprses forming a lightirradiated batter consisting primarily of rye flour, extruding thebatter into articles of predetermined form, depositing the extrudedarticles unto a reticulated supporting surface, baking the extrudedartcles whle; supported on said surface, guhjecting the thus bakedarticles to dehydration to convert same to the desired degree ofcrispness, and cooling the dehydrated articles.

ADOLPI-I T. JOHNSON.

REFERENCES C ITED The following references are of record in the file ofUhs patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Npmber Name Date ;E 789,770 Swanlund May 16, 19051,529,107 Bakus Mar. 10, 1925 1;,863,277 McGroarty June 14, 19321;,928,397 Shumway Sept. 26, 1933 2,041,091 Savy May 19, 1936 2,173,000Holtzman et al Sept. 12, 1939 '2,206,619 Schreier July 2, 1940 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date Great Britain May 16, 1905 OTI-IER.REFERENCES Educator Crackers, J ohnson Educator Food Co.,

pgges 10 and 11.

: Lord: Everbody's Cook Book, 1 ed., Henry Holt & 00., 1924, page 165.

1. THE PROCESS FOR MAKING RYE PRODUCTS WHICH COMPRISES FORMING A LIGHTBATTER CONSISTING PRIMARILY OF RYE FLOUR, EXTRUDING THE BATTER INTOARTICLES OF PREDETERMINED FORM, DEPOSITING THE EXTRUDED ARTICLES ONTO ARETICULATED SUPPORTING SURFACE, BACKING THE EXTRUDED ARTICLES WHILESUPPORTED ON SAID SURFACE, AND SUBJECTION THE THUS BAKED ARTICLES TODEHYDRATION TO CONVERT SAME TO THE DESIRED DEGREE OF CRISPNESS.